Method of packaging sheet material and apparatus therefor



June 6, 1933. s, s ov 1,912,388

METHOD OF PACKAGING SHEET MATERIAL AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed NOV. 24, 1931 INVENTOR SAMUEL 5mm ORNEY Patented June 6, 1953 tenses PATENT OFFICE SAI/IUEL SLOVIN, F WILMINGTQN, DELAWARE METHOD OF PACKAGING SHEET MATERIAL AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Application filed. November 24, 1931.

This invention relates to a method of packaging sheet material and to apparatus therefor.

In shipping sheet materials of substantial rigidity, more especially linoleum and similar sheet floor coverings, it is the general practice to roll this material into the form of a tube. The tube thus formed is then covered with paper or any desired 1 means may be used with or without such paper wrapping by which the rolled sheet material is retained against unrolling. Generally the paper wrapping is tucked in atthe ends of the roll and thereby constitutes or may form a part of means for retaining the rolled material against spreading, that is, to resist the tendency of the layers of the rolled sheet to shift longitudinally, one upon the other, and thus to destroy the desired cylindrical form which the roll should assume in shipment or storage. However, in spite of the retaining properties of paper covers which, in many cases, become torn in handling and in transportation of the'assembled unit, this shifting does occur, and in many cases, broken edges and similar defects in the rolled material arise.

It is an object of the invention to provide means for retaining sheet material, rolled as indicated, to prevent any such shifting movements. For this purpose, substantially rigid members, such as metallic plates, are positioned against the ends of the formed roll and are forced against the ends in such manner as to prevent any relative displacement of the layers. Preferably, for thepurpose of securing the proper pressure against the roll ends, the members are engaged by a device extending between the members through the cavity within the roll.

As the device would, for purposes of economy, preferably be constructed of cheap, comparatively small cross-sectioned 4.5 rod, when placed in tension, any bent por- Serial No. 577,010.

tion would give away under the tensional force. It is an object of the invention to interlock the device with one of the members in such manner that tension applied to the rod will not destroy the interlock of so the device with the member.

Further, in the assembly of such devices with the members before the final operation of effecting anchorage of the members, because of the extent of the roll, the operator assembling the device and the members with roll is unable to observe what is occurring at the end of the roll removed from him. It is an object of the invent-ion to provide a device capable of association with members of the character indicated in which interlocking of the device and the members, once made, is continuously assured, without attention, until the joinder is manually severed so that the operator may proceed with the assembly at one end of the roll, after completing association of device and member at the other end of the roll, without danger of separation at the unobserved end.

It is an object of the invention to provide a locking means for use in conjunction with a retaining device of the character indicated which, with increase of the pressure applied to produce clamping engagement of the members against the roll, produces increased locking engagement between the device and the members.

It is an object of the invention to provide devices and members of the character indi- 8O cated which are capable of immediate and ready separation and assembly without clestroying any of the positive locking features of the device and members.

Other objects of this invention will be hereinafter set forth, or will be apparent from the description and the drawing, in which is illustrated an embodiment of apparatus for carrying out the invention.

The invention, however, is not intended to be restricted to any particular construction or arrangement of parts, or to any particular application of such construction, or to any specific method of use, or to any of various steps or details thereof, herein shown and described, except as may appear from the invention claimed, as the same may be modified in various particulars or be applied in many varied relations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the practical embodiment herein illustrated and described merely being an attempt to show one of the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied.

For the attainment of these objects and of such other objects as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, I have illustrated an embodiment of my invention in the drawing wherein the same reference characters refer to thesame parts throughout, and wherein Fig. l is a perspective view of a roll of sheet material which has had applied thereto means for preventing shifting of the roll layers, in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, on the line 22 of Fig. 1, illustrating the manner of assembly of the shift preventing means and the locking means therefor;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, on the line 3-3 of the assembled structure of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an element rapable of use to lock the shift preventing means.

As seen in Fig. 2, the sheet material 10 has been rolled into a tubular form 12, the layers of sheet material in the roll being disposed so that the end edges of the layers are substantially in the same plane. This, of course, can be seen to be the most desired condition for handling, and especially for shipment, as no free edges are presented against a solid backing, thus eliminating possibility of breakage.

In order to assure continuance of this relationship, plates 14 are positioned against the end faces 16 of the rolled sheet material. These plates are preferably of substantially rigid material, such as sheet metal, and may be corrugated to increase its resistance to deformation when a bending force acts thereon. As an additional strengthening feature and also for a purpose to be set forth, these plates may be dished, that is, they may be formed with depressed surfaces 18, the effective diameters of which are preferably closely approximate that of the space 20 in the tubular form 12.

In order to protect the rolled edges agalnst the direct impress of the corrugated plates, washers 22 of some compressible material, such as pasteboard or the like, may be interposed between the flanges 24 of the plates and the roll ends. The wall 26 leading away from the depressed surface is preferably outwardly divergent and thus provides means for exerting a compressive force upon the inner layers of the roll in forcing their positive association with each other.

Surface 18 has provided therein a plurality of openings 28 and 30. Openings 28, preferably, although not essentially, are centrally located in the surface, while openings 28 and 30 are positioned in a relationship to each other determined by a dimension of a locking device 32. Openings 28 of opposed plates 14 are intended to be substantially in alignment, when the plates are assembled on the roll, in order to receive therethrough, substantially parallel to the body of the roll and perpendicular to the plates, the shaft 34 of the locking device. This shaft has at one end an arm 36, preferably extending away from the shaft at substantially a right angle. In one form of the device, to embody certain features of the invcntion, the arm is extended substantially parallel to shaft 34, to form a portion 38, and then further is extended into the terminal lug 46. \Vhen the locking device is to be associated with a plate by insertion through one of the openings 28, it is intended that arm 36 be of sufiicient length to position lug 40 for passage through any one of openings 30 in that particular plate. By rocking shaft 34, the lug may be directed downwardly sufiiciently to assure its entry into one of the openings 30, the seating of the lug in the opening desirably being snug in order to facilitate locking of these parts. However, the snug engagement is not tight and the member itself is of sufficient resilience to permit the necessary relative movement of lug 40 and the plate to permit the ready assembly or separation of the parts. Lug 40 is of suilicient extent to clear opening 30 when the shaft is finally positioned, as in Fig. 2, so that the shaft will be locked to prevent separation of arm 36 from the plate.

At the other end of the shaft, there are provided the threads 42 for the reception of a thumb screw 44. In tightening this thumb screw, arm 36 is caused to engage with the plate into which it is locked and thus to move plates 14 toward each other. Due to lug 40, the tendency to bend arm 36 will be hindered, and, in fact, entirely prevented, no matter what force is applied to press surfaces 18 more snugly into space 20 for retaining the sheet material positively located and retained against any relative lateral displacement. Suitable washers 46 and 48 may be used to facilitate the assembly of the locking device with the plates.

As is Well known, when the rolls are packed at the plants, they may be tied with rope, or paper or a similar binder may be applied, in order to retain the outer end of the roll from unrolling, Then, with the plates and the locking device properly po sitioned, a wrench or like tool generally is applied to the wing nut, and the wing nut is tightened upon the threads 42. lVith the cooperation of lug 40 with the wall at its opening 80, the necessity for a helper to retain the device aligned with the proper opening until the slack of the shaft is taken up by threading on the lock nut, or to observe that nothing otherwise happens to this end of the device, is entirely eliminated. There will be no tendency for arm 36 to become bent and to travel through opening 28 as lug l0 acts positively to prevent such movement. Likewise, once assembled, the lug will remain interlocked under the most severe handling and until the special twist necessary to effect its separation is carried out.

litany other changes could be effected in the particular apparatus designed, and in the methods of use set forth, and in the specific steps or details thereof, without substantially departing from the invention hereof, intended to be defined in the claims, the specific description herein being merely to illustrate an operative embodiment capable of carrying out the spirit of the invcntion.

\Vhat is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In means for packaging in rolls sheet material of substantial rigidity, in which the sheet material is made up in roll form and is then secured against uni-oiling, means to prevent displacement of the layers of the roll with respect to each other, including members enga ing the ends of the rolls, and means for maintaining the members in en relationship to the roll ends, said means having a bent integral end portion interlockingly engaging one of the members to prevent separation 01 member and means except by a relative pivoting movement.

9. A package of sheet material of substantial rigidity in which the sheet material is rolled into tubular form, a pair of dished members engaged against the opposite ends of the roll and seated within the bore formed by the rol and means to force the members into eng ement with the ends to prevent relative displac ment of the layers of sheet material within the roll, said means comprising a device extending through the roll, the device having an integral oil-set end portion formed for interlockingly engaging one of the members, the end portion being formed so that, as the device is placed in tension, the interlocked portion will tighten its grip upon the members.

3. A package of sheet material of substantial rigidity in which the sheet material is rolled into tubular form, members applied to the opposite ends of the roll, and means to force the members into engagement with the ends, said means comprising a single, unitary rod extending through the members, said rod having integral end portion engaging the opposed faces of one of the members so that when the rod is placed in tension to secure engagement of the members with the rod ends the engaged portion will resist bending of any part of the rod.

4. A package of sheet material of substantial rigidity in which the sheet material is rolled into tubular form, members applied to the opposite ends of the roll, and means to force the members into engagement with the ends, said means comprising a single, unitary rod extending through the members, one end oi the rod having an integral end portion for interlocking engagement of the rod with one of the members, the end being disposed for abutment against both faces of the member and preventing axial movement of the rod relative to the member, and means to place the rod in tension to retain the members in assembled relation.

5. In combination with a tubular roll of sheet material or" substantial rigidity held against unrolling, a pair of dished plates positioned against the ends of the roll and iaving openings therethrough, the dished portions of the plates seating within the tubular bore of the roll, an integral rod extending through the bore and openings in each of the members, one end of the rod being also en aged through another one of the openings in one member and being locked against the inner face of the body of that member, and means engaging the other end of the rod to place it in tension.

6. lnv combination with a tubular roll of sheet material of substantial rigidity, held against nnrolling, a pair of members positioned against the ends of the roll and having openings therethrough, a rod extending through the tubular bore of the roll and openings in each of the members, one end of the rod being angularly bent and engaged through another one of the openings, the end so engaged being again bent to be positioned beneath the body of the member, and means engaging the other end of the rod to plac it in tension.

7. In combination with a tubular roll of sheet material of substantial rigidity, held against unrolling, a pair of dished plates positioned against the ends of the roll and having openings in the dished portions thereof, the dished portions of the plates seating within the tubular bore of the roll, a rod extending through the bore and openings in each of the members, one end of the rod being angularly bent and engaged through another one of the openings, the end so engaged being turned to be positioned beneath the body of the member, and means engaging the other end of the rod to place it in tension the angularly bent portion of the rod and the portion engaged beneath the body of the member coasting to prevent axial movement of the end of the rod relative to the body of the member.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 21 day of November, 1931.

SAMUEL SLOVIN. 

